Have you ever found a fossil?

Tasmanian author and illustrator, Fiona Levings, also has a PhD in Geology. Although no longer working in that field Fiona has expertly harnessed her experiences and knowledge to craft an informative and captivating picture  book to tell, in lyrical prose and amazingly detailed illustrations, the story of the mountain that embraces Hobart in its foothills. Fiona shares some of the challenges, planning, book design and illustrative techniques undertaken to capture a millennia of geological change in Before the Mountain had a Name.

Cover image of Before the Mountain had a Name

If you live in Tasmania, the chances are that you have. Three hundred million years ago our little state sat wedged between mainland Australia and Antarctica, part of the long coastline of the supercontinent Pangaea. At that time, Tassie lay within the southern polar circle and a large portion of it was covered by a cold, shallow sea that was teeming with life. Reefs of brachiopods and bryozoans competed for space with clams and mussels, sponges, corals and hungry snails. The fossilised remains of these critters are preserved in abundance in rock formations across the state, many of which are exposed in cliffs and platforms lining the modern shoreline. 

Permian-aged fossils including Brachiopod shells and Bryozoan colonies
are commonplace in rocks found across large parts of Tasmania © F Levings

The moment in time that is captured within these rocks is just one episode in the multi-billion-year history of this part of the world. Every bit of the Earth is the way it is today as a result of geological processes that have operated continuously at all scales – from continents colliding to slow drips of water – for the entire life of the planet. The complexity of this system is breathtaking and beautiful - even more so when you add in the biosphere and all of the things that grow, rustle, scurry, crawl and fly around the surface. It’s a lot to take in but understanding how our world formed is important, not least because it gives us perspective on our own species and the role we play within it. The trick, then, is to communicate the beauty of geology whilst dodging its overwhelm.

Page spread depicting The Permian Sea - how the mountain may have
appeared 300 million ago © F Levings

I am a geologist who is lucky enough to write and illustrate books for kids. For years I’ve wanted to ‘do one on rocks’ but couldn’t figure out how. The sense of wonder and curiosity that kids have regarding our world is such fertile ground - the more we can augment it with real understanding, the better. Geology is most commonly communicated to kids using fact books and these are super useful as they teach the language and concepts that underpin the science. There are also books that focus on periods in time (dinosaurs are pretty reliable) or specific processes (volcanoes, anyone?) and certainly lots and lots of books on fossils. However, what I wanted to do was to bring these concepts together and tell the story as a whole which, as we’ve seen, is a terrible idea because it’s huge and even if I could write it, who would ever read it?

Two things came to my rescue. The first was kunanyi, our beautiful mountain, which presented itself as a subject. To focus on just the mountain, a single piece of the earth, reduced the scale of the task enormously. The second was a discovery I’d made with my previous book Now and Then that a detailed illustration really is worth a thousand words.  And so, Before the Mountain had a Name, a picture book where each page spread is one moment in the history of one mountain, came into being. The story of the mountain gives us a glimpse into deep time and the many processes that combine to make our world the way it is - as well as a little bit of context for those wonderful fossils we find so often in its foothills. And whilst the book can be read as ‘just a story’, like all good geology adventures, the more you dig into these pictures, the more you will find. 

Hobart's beautiful kunanyi/Mt Wellington © F Levings

Fiona Levings

To learn more about Before the Mountain had a Name and access resources, activities and references for the book go to fionalevings.com.au 

Saving species through story

Can stories save the world? Dr Sarah Pye thinks they can!

This week’s blog introduces a series of literary non fiction texts focusing on endangered animals in South East Asia, the conservation work of Dr Wong and the many projects of the author, Dr Sarah Pye in sharing her knowledge and experiences with young readers and students in schools.

It was a humid 2012 day in Borneo. The hotel receptionist had just found out I was a freelance writer gathering fodder for a feature story about wildlife tourism. “You need to talk to Dr Wong,” she said, scribbling a phone number onto her notepad and handing me the phone.

Little did I know that day would change my life.

Sun bear at the Bornean Sun Bear
Conservation Centre ©

Seeing sun bears for the first time

Dr Wong invited me to visit the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, not yet open to the public. As I stood on the observation platform watching the world’s smallest bear swinging from a branch 50m in the air, I was hooked. “There are far fewer sun bears than orangutans,” Wong explained. “I have dedicated my life to saving the sun bear.”

I asked what I could do to help.

“Do what you do best,” came the reply.

Sarah Pye with Wong Siew Te ©

Do what you do best!

Those five powerful words have shaped my last decade. Yes, I wrote the article, but I also wrote Wong’s biography (for adults) as a Doctor of Creative Arts degree, exploring how narratives can engage non-scientists in conservation. However, when Saving Sun Bears was published in 2020, I realised my job had only just begun. I needed to reach the next generation. 

Making a mini rainforest | © Jessie Dee

Why are nonfiction conservation stories for children important?

Stories about iconic animals can evoke emotions like wonder, empathy and concern. They can foster a sense of environmental stewardship and inspire children to become change makers. So, back at the keyboard, I started writing middle-grade children’s books about Wong’s life. There are now six books in the Wildlife Wong series. Each one focuses on Wong’s adventures with a different species: sun bears, orangutans, pygmy elephants, bearded pigs, fig wasps and Sumatran rhinos, but they are innovative in their structure.

But what if kids don’t like reading?

As any teacher will tell you, children learn in different ways. To engage with differing preferences, I decided to include different touchpoints. Each Wildlife Wong books includes a nonfiction narrative (or story); informational text or cool animal facts; sketches and photographs which make it look like a field journal; and experiments which link back to the narrative and engage those reluctant readers. This innovative style led to them being shortlisted for an Australian Educational Publishing Award in 2022. 

Sumatran rhino sketch of baby Mina and her mother |
© Woon Bing Chang

Sarah Pye with Pongo | © Jessie Dee

Storytelling puppets

The next step was extending my reach by visiting schools, so I developed workshops around reading my stories and conducting the experiments. Most recently, I started incorporating the art of puppetry! I now visit schools together with my puppet sidekicks, Luna the sun bear and Pongo the orangutan. The response has been incredible. This August, for instance, we spent 12 full days in schools, directly interacting with over 1,200 students. With the help of technology, many of them even got to meet the real Wildlife Wong!

Tours to Borneo

I’m not done yet! I am excited to announce I have just launched a 10-day guided tour of Borneo for next August, during which Wong will take my guests on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre! 

When he said, “Do what you do best”, Wong had no idea it would spawn a doctorate, seven books and a lasting friendship. So, I now ask you the same question: what can YOU do best to help our endangered animals?

Dr Sarah Pye is an award-winning biography and children’s author, an environmentalist and avid traveller.

Web: https://sarahrpye.com/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/SarahRPye

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author_sarahrpye/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorSarahPye

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahpye/

Editor's note: Sarah and I connected online via a shared passion for animal conservation issues conveyed through story. It was a pleasure to read and review her latest book in the series - Wildlife Wong and the Sumatran Rhino. Read my review!

Eve Pownall – The Person, the Prestigious Award & the Short List

Have you ever wondered who Eve Pownall was and why CBCA named an award for informational texts after her? Leanne provides background information on this special award that celebrates quality information writing and provides teasers on each of the six shortlisted titles for 2020.

Marjorie Evelyn Pownall was born on 12 January 1902 at Kings Cross, Sydney. Eve was a meticulous researcher, avid reader, and prolific writer. Her first major work was a social history for children, The Australia Book (1952), which was named by the Children’s Book Council as best book of the year.

She wrote Mary of Maranoa: Tales of Australian Pioneer Women (1959) and Australian Pioneer Women (1975). To research The Thirsty Land: Harnessing Australia’s Water Resources (1967) and The Singing Wire: The Story of the Overland Telegraph (1973), she drove to the outback. Eve organised ‘libraries in a box’ in New South Wales and presented educational programs on ABC radio.

Contribution to CBCA

A crusader for children’s literature, she was an early supporter of the New South Wales group that became the Children’s Book Council (of Australia). She helped to establish its journal Reading Time and the annual award for the children’s book of the year, and compiled a history, The Children’s Book Council in Australia: 1945-1980. In December 1977 Eve was appointed MBE and in 1981 she was the first recipient of the Lady Cutler award for distinguished service to children’s literature in New South Wales.

The importance of the Eve Pownall Award is presented in an article by Helen Adam (2015 Judge) in Reading Time:

 [The Award], “gives birth to a delightful challenge to authors and illustrators: to present information – educational material – in a way that brings to life this world of ours, times past, current matters, scientific and social understandings in a way that illuminates our world and leads readers to a deeper understanding of this world, and their own place and significance in it.”

2020 Eve Pownall Shortlist

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ugly Animals – Sami Bayly
The well-researched information highlights some unusual, highly adapted species that have evolved to have unique but rather unattractive features, many species of which are highly threatened. Each animal is featured with information sorted into logical areas of interest, including description, habitat, and diet.

Searching for Cicadas – Lesley Gibbes & Judy Watson
A view into the world of the cicada, this stunning picture book engages and informs young readers through its unique melding of fact and storytelling. The story is about a child and a grandparent exploring the bush together, marvelling at the wonders of nature whilst listening for cicada calls and conducting their careful search.

A Hollow is a Home – Abbie Mitchell & Astred Hicks
An exploration of tree hollows and the creatures that call them home. Scientific information is presented in a simple and accessible way, with concepts and terminology well defined and explained. The book is a fun and informative peek into a hidden, yet vital part of nature.

Wilam: A Birrarung Story – Aunty Joy Murphy, Andrew Kelly & Lisa Kennedy
Wilam, meaning ‘home’ tells the story of ‘Birrarung’, the Yarra River. Bunjil, the wedge-tailed eagle, creator spirit of the Wurundjeri people, oversees the journey of the Yarra River from the natural habitats at the start of the river down to the urbanised habitats of the bay.

Young Dark Emu: A Truer History – Bruce Pascoe
This book argues that for 80,000 years, Aboriginal people were living in established agricultural societies in managed landscapes, reliant on Aboriginal astronomy. Farming and food supplies were determined by Emu Dreaming, the spaces between the stars of the Milky Way, where the Spirit Emu resides. Pascoe shows how the decimation of Aboriginal people and culture ensured that after 1860 all evidence of any prior complex civilisation was eradicated.

Yahoo Creek: An Australian Mystery – Tohby Riddle
This book explores the mysterious yahoo through newspaper accounts of white settlers, farmers, and their children’s encounters with the 'yahoo', 'hairy man' or 'yowie' from 1847-1944 along the Great Dividing Range. Riddle depicts the yahoo as friendless, bewildered, and frightened, like a wild animal. But children seem to pose no threat to him.

References

Adam, H., 2015. Who was Eve Pownall? Reading Time. http://readingtime.com.au/who-was-eve-pownall/

Eve Pownall Award. Children’s Book Council of Australia.  https://www.cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020

Roberts, J. (2012).Pownall, Marjorie Evelyn (Eve) (1902–1982). Australian dictionary of biography.  National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/pownall-marjorie-evelyn-eve-15495/text26710

Leanne RandsPresident CBCA Tasmania

Editor’s Note: What a stunning selection this year and very hard to choose a winner. Do you have a favourite? I have three! With just one still to read. In case you missed it, check this detailed coverage of Young Dark Emu in the blog from 2019.

Discover! A selection of information books that explore the sciences.

Botany, anthropology, zoology and geology! Patsy Jones shares some titles for young and teenage readers with inquiring minds to discover more about our world – past and present.

I can spend a lot of time (and money!) in a bookshop – too much, probably. With my youngest grandchild now in his teens, I don’t now have a great interest in the picturebook and junior fiction areas of a library or a bookshop, either. My eye can be caught by magnetic and thought-provoking adult non-fiction titles quite often though…..

One day I found Peter Wohlleben’s The hidden Life of Trees, and have been dipping into that often at home. I knew I would find it of interest to me, because personally-admired Tim Flannery, had written the foreword for the Australian edition (1916).

But quite recently I found a copy of a Canadian edition of the book, titled Can you Hear the Trees Talking?, which calls itself ‘A Young Readers’ Edition’ of Peter’s fascinating work. It is lavishly illustrated, though it focuses, of course, on North American forests and animal life.

As with any non-fiction book, there is a Contents section at the beginning, with some attention-grabbing headlines – for example:

* Do trees have grandparents?

* Is there a Forest Internet?

* What are trees afraid of?

* Do some trees prefer to be alone?

And the index is useful too, with some surprising entries to catch a child’s attention: there’s an entry for giraffes,  another for the toilet, another for the Moreton Bay fig tree.

Marcia Langton’s Welcome to Country: An Introduction to our First Peoples for Young Australians is much quieter in its presentation. There are some colour maps and illustrations, but most illustrations are in black and white. This book, published by Hardie Grant Travel in 2019, is the younger reader’s version of Welcome to Country: A Travel Guide to Indigenous Australia, published in 2018.  It does not divide Australia into the separate states that we know; it is no travel guide. It discusses different aspects of First People’s history and culture, so is a valuable source of information on aspects of Indigenous life such as kinship, language, and art. But issues such as the Stolen Generations and Native Title are also addressed.

It is a scholarly work with a careful index, and is more suitable for the secondary school student, providing a copious list of references and resources for further study. The appendix provides, among other things, five maps in colour. The first map shows ‘hypothesised pathways for colonization of Australia, based on the distance to water’; another shows ‘Native Title Determinations as at 31 March 2019’. 

If the library of your local secondary school doesn’t have a copy available, please suggest that the librarian acquires several, enough to bring the material to the notice of all students.

I was surprised/impressed/slightly indignant to find this next book on the shelf in my local bookshop : Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore Survive. This was written by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, who lives in Montana, USA, and who was a college friend of Jenny Marshalll Groves, a geneticist, one of the scientists researching the Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD) in Australia. I guess the fact that somebody had to come all the way from the USA to write a book of such potentially  world-wide interest is what makes me feel slightly indignant – can’t we write books like this for ourselves and the world, here in Australia?

The book is beautifully produced, with photographs of Tasmanian scenery and Australian scientists working in the area; and, of course, photographs of the Tasmanian Devil. The thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) gets a brief mention – the extinct thylacine ‘was shot, trapped, and poisoned as an enemy of sheep farmers’.

Chromosomes, the immune system, and cancer are explained with illustrations; there’s a glossary, a list of sources, and an index to assist further research. While the book is presented in a very approachable format, and will be very popular with primary school students, secondary students will find it of interest and a source of information as well.

So I’ve looked at Botany, Anthropology, and Zoology – how about a quick look at Geology?  This title, though, may be more likely to be added to the picture book area. It’s The Book of Stone by Mark Greenwood and Coral Tulloch. Pictures of stones and fossils collected from many parts of the world have been used in the endpapers, with various captions indicating the name and origin of each. Each individual stone/fossil has a typed caption in the front endpapers, and its caption for the back endpapers is handwritten in a very attractive script. Any child with an interest in fossils and rocks will enjoy pursuing information about these samples.

Patsy Jones
Retired librarian, retired teacher